May 15, 2024 |
SOUTHEAST ASIA ROUNDUP

 

By API Desk | Date 05-15-2024

 

Singapore grounds F-16 fighters after crash in an air base

Singapore’s defense ministry has ordered grounding its fleet of F-16 multi-role fighters after an accident at Tengah Air Base, which left no significant injuries.

 

Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said the suspension is a precautionary measure and will give flight safety investigators to find the cause of the accident. The last fighter jet crash incident was 20 years ago. 

 

Tengah Air Base, located on the western side of Singapore, serves as the home base for two fighter squadrons. 

 

The island nation is currently modernizing its fighter fleet, with plans to retire all F-16s by the mid-2030s. The government previously announced it had ordered eight F-35A fighter jets and 12 F-35Bs.

 

 

Australia accuses China of dangerous actions in the Yellow Sea

Canberra accused China of firing flares into the path of a naval helicopter over international waters, which posed a risk to aircraft and personnel.

 

The Australian defense ministry said a Chinese fighter fired flares 60 meters above and 300 meters in front of its MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, which was enforcing United Nations sanctions on North Korea in the Yellow Sea.

 

This is not the first instance, as Australia reported in 2022 that a Chinese fighter jet also fired flares and chaff at an Australian P-8A flying over international waters in the South China Sea. 

 

In a statement, China’s Ministry of Defense said Australia is “spreading a false narrative” as the helicopters were conducting “closer reconnaissance“, and its action of warning them to leave was legitimate.

 

 

China offers submarine to Thailand

 

To resolve a long-overdue submarine purchase deal, China has offered to deliver Thailand three new S26T Yuan-class submarines to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) for 36 billion baht.

 

The deal was stalled by a dispute when China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) offered to fit Chinese engines on the submarines. 

 

The original agreement, which stated that China agreed to install a German-made diesel engine, needed revision after Germany refused to sell the engine to China as it was designated as military equipment.

 

Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang said they could cancel the deal and replace it with a frigate plus a compensation deal or request better compensation for accepting a submarine with a Chinese-made engine.

 

 

ASEAN to curb arms smuggling

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has agreed to cooperate in curbing arms smuggling in the region, describing it as a threat to regional stability. 

 

ASEAN senior officials on transnational crime, in a meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, discussed arms smuggling trends and best practices to curb the illegal trade. 

 

NISEA, a SOMTC-Cambodia partner, urged the implementation of the ASEAN anti-arms smuggling declaration and introduced a June workshop to advance the cooperation.

 

Yang Poeu, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC), believed if left unchecked, illegal arms trade could lead to internal and regional insecurity.